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Beauty Organizers To Put On Your Radar

January 17, 2023

Best Beauty Organizers Umbra Bellwood Organizer Tower

I’m back with a beauty organization roundup! Keeping all my beauty products organized has definitely been an ongoing challenge over the years. So many of you have asked for a beauty organization post wondering how I store all my beauty products and the short answer is I’m still figuring it all out.

Beauty Organization How to Clean Diptyque Jars

I’ve loved and used the Ikea Alex Drawers, Billy Bookcases, a number of larger acrylic beauty boxes, Muji acrylic organizers, things from The Container Store and Amazon – you name it! I still store things in the Ikea Alex Drawers (tall and wide ones). The best large acrylic beauty containers I’ve found unfortunately are from brands that are no longer around (like the Original Beauty Box and Glamboxes). I also love repurposing the Diptyque candle jars to hold pencils, mascaras, brushes, pens etc.

The main problem I’ve found with the large storage units whether it’s an acrylic box or large drawer unit is that if anything is stacked or put in a drawer out of sight it gets neglected. While I couldn’t possibly use up everything in my stash I still like to rotate things. Having a nice display or smaller organizers helps me edit my current rotation to keep certain things top of mind.

Omorovicza Peachy Micellar Cleansers

A lot of these are organizers are great to store my daily must-haves or go-to’s like foundations, concealers etc. and keeps them within easy reach too! If you’re looking for organizers that won’t break the bank and that will keep things somewhat edited this post is for you!

Umbra Organizers

Umbra Glam Cosmetic Organizer ($25) is a really nice affordable option. By this time I’ve tried a few of the Umbra organizers and think they’re well made. This Glam organizer comes in a white option and they also have it in a different configuration for Hair Tools. You can find it at a number of places like Umbra, Nordstrom, West Elm, Amazon.

See the Umbra Glam organizer in action here.

Umbra Glam Organizer via The Beauty Lookbook

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Umbra Cascada Cosmetic Organizer ($25, available at Umbra, Amazon, West Elm)* is another style with a spinning base. It can also double as an organizer for office supplies on your desk. The compartments are on the narrower side so it won’t fit larger bottles of perfume or skin care, but it’s great to store and display other beauty items.

See the Cascada Organizer in action here.

Umbra Cascada Organizer via The Beauty Lookbook

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Bellwood Organizer ($45)* is another one from Umbra. This is super easy to assemble and is great for small spaces. Looks clean and streamlined. They also make a matching Caddy ($25).

Best Beauty Organizers Umbra Bellwood Organizer Tower

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Target

Target Acrylic Round Desktop Organizer - Project 62

I recently made a Target run and found quite a few organizing options. They have a great storage system with different size bins in their Brightroom Collection. I bought quite a few to organize products. The only downside is that it can get a bit expensive to design the exact configuration you want.

Target Project 62 Acrylic Round Desktop Organizer ($15 each) is a spinning organizer designed for the office but also works for beauty products! It’s a small-medium size which means it won’t take up a huge amount of space on your vanity, counter or desk. Measures about 7.98 inches wide and 7.26 inches tall.

See it in action here.

Target Brightroom Bathroom Spinning Turntable ($25) is another one I picked up. I haven’t used this one yet as it’s on the larger side and takes up quite a bit of room. It measures 10.9 inches wide 5 inches deep and it’s pretty good quality. You can probably find similar options on Amazon for less. They also carry a 2-tier spinner with dividers.

Shop Target Storage Solutions

 

Pottery Barn

Pottery Barn Acrylic Spinning Desktop Organizer

Pottery Barn and Pottery Barn Teen both have a great selection of organizers for the desk and bathroom. They have a lot of gorgeous solid lacquered wood organizers and towers. They are on the expensive side but one that caught my eye is the Pottery Barn Acrylic Home Office Lazy Susan (on sale for $47.99 and with code EXTRA for 20% off clearance). This is an even smaller organizer measuring 7 inches in diameter and 7.5 inches tall. It’s pricey for what it is but well-constructed and good quality.

Pottery Barn, West Elm and PB Teen Solutions

 

Amazon Finds

Amazon Beauty Organizer Review Beauty Lookbook

There are so many options Amazon! I ordered a Rotating Makeup Organizer ($28.98) a while ago and really like it. The quality could be better as it’s a really lightweight plastic but I like the size and it works. There are moveable shelves that are easy to adjust. Makes it convenient to customize! The downside with having that much surface area is that it does tend to collect dust and debris, but that is the case with pretty much everything.

See it in action here.

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I really like the mDesign boxes with a hinged lid. They come in a clear and cream version. Love that they’re stackable but since I want to be able to see things I try not to go crazy with the stacking. I keep my lash curlers, cotton and mini perfumes in these but the options are endless! They also have these in wider or taller configurations.

mDesign Plastic Storage Boxes

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I also picked up a couple of the Spice Racks which make for a nice display. They are very lightweight but it’s functional and I like they way they look. There are a few configurations including a Corner Rack you can put together side by side if you want a wider display.

See the display in action here.

Amazon Spice Racks Beauty Display

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Also really like these Tiered Riser Shelves to display and store perfumes.

Tiered Acrylic Stand Amazon

Shop my Amazon Finds

 

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Ikea Finds

Best Makeup to Shop During the Sephora Sale

Ikea Godmorgon Storage Box

I’ve featured the Ikea Godmorgan Box ($22.99) a few times in the past and mine has still held up after 5+ years. Mine is a clear version which they don’t make anymore. The current one has a slightly smoky tint but the design is still the same. This is a nice larger style box and is compatible with a lot of their bathroom drawers. Some of the inserts are removable too.

The same Godmorgan Line also has a Mini 2-Drawer Chest ($14.99) and Box Set with Lids ($17.99).

See it in action here.

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Muji Acrylic Pieces

Modern California Loft | The Beauty Look Book

Last but not least a quick shout out for Muji. They make some of the best acrylic storage. I own lots from them and the acrylic is very well made. I’ve owned some for 10+ years and they still look as good as the day I got them. There are some light scratches but considering the amount of use they’ve gone through it’s very durable.

The above photo is from my older home office when we lived in San Diego. I still have 5 Drawer Units (I stacked them 2 high) these but they’re in a beauty closet. Also available in other configurations and depths like the 3 Drawer Unit.

This mini 3 Tiered Stand is also from Muji. It holds a small amount of things but makes for a cute mini display!

Muji Acrylic 3 Tier Stand

Yamakazi Home

Diptyque Candle Repurpose and Yamakazi Home Caddy Storage

Also thanks to one of my readers who commented below Yamakazi Home makes great storage solutions. Especially for small spaces. Andrew has a few of their stands (one in his bathroom). I also love their Bath Caddy (small and large) and just ordered a Rolling Bathroom Cart.

A few more options rounded up below!

Beauty Organizers

1 tower / 2 caddy / 3 boxes with lid / 4 small caddy / 5 half moon box / 6 spinning tower / 7 acrylic spinner / 8 rack / 9 Five-drawer / 10 gold & marble spinner / 11 three tier stand / 12 clear box / 13 smoked box / 14 small desktop spinner / 15 larger spinner

 

What are your favorite beauty organizers? Do you have smaller organizers? A large one? Several large ones? Would love to hear about your favorite finds!

 

Beauty Favorites Nordstrom Skincare

New Year Skincare Refresh

January 9, 2023

New Year Skincare Refresh with Nordstrom Beauty

Happy New Year! Starting the year out with a skincare roundup. I’ve gone through a skincare refresh and reset the past few weeks and today I’m sharing what I’ve restocked and love from Nordstrom. They carry most of the brands I use on a regular basis and I’ve added a few new things to my routine this month.

New Year Skincare Refresh with Nordstrom Beauty

Cleanser

Best Cleansers Kate Somerville, La Mer, Dior and Sisley

I always love trying different cleansers and just finished using quite a few in the last few weeks. I restocked my three favorites. The Kate Somerville Gentle Daily Wash is one of best for sensitive skin but still very effective at cleaning the skin. If I had to use one brand of cleanser the rest of my life I think Kate Somerville would cover all my needs. The ExfoliKate Cleanser is a great one with a gentle clinical strength exfoliating ingredients. The Goat Milk Cleanser is great for dry skin and I love the EradiKate Daily Cleanser for acne prone skin.

La Mer’s Cleansing Foam is another favorite I love for a silky creamy foam. It has a gentle spa like scent but doesn’t irritate my skin. Leaves it squeaky clean and soft.

Dior’s La Mousse Off/On Foaming Face cleanser is another great one if you have normal/combination skin. A little goes a long way and skin feels fresh with this one. This is my third tube!

I love a good acid exfoliator to help resurface skin and get rid of dead skin cells but sometimes having a gentle exfoliant is nice to have on hand. I’ve had my eye on the Sisley Exfoliating Enzyme Mask for some time and decided to splurge. It’s a powder exfoliant that’s activated with water. It turns into a creamy mask you apply and massage to the skin. Leave it on for 1 minute then rinse. It far exceeded my expectations! Skin is left smooth and clean but not stripped. 100% love. It’s called a mask but to me it’s a cleanser + mask in one.

I also highly recommend trying the Eve Lom Muslin Cleansing Cloths. They’re designed for the Eve Lom Cleansing Balm, but I use the cloths for any cleanser. Helps to gently exfoliate the skin, ensure all your cleanser is removed and improve blood circulation. I notice my complexion is a lot clearer and smoother when I use cloths consistently.

Toner

La Mer Tonic Toner

For toners I restocked my tried and true La Mer The Tonic. This is one of the best ones I’ve tried for any time of year to rebalance, refresh and tone my skin. Doesn’t leave a film and one of the few that doesn’t irritate my skin. 100% worth the splurge!

Moisturizer

La Mer Moisturizing Soft Lotion

For moisturizers I’m rotating a few right now including the La Mer Moisturizing Soft Lotion and Chanel La Solution 10 de Chanel. Both are good for sensitive skin. La Mer has a wide range of moisturizers and creams for different skin types, my favorite has been the Moisturizing Soft Lotion because it’s light weight but still very hydrating.

The Chanel La Solution 10 de Chanel is one of my favorite sensitive skin creams. It has 10 ingredients selected for sensitive skin. I like that it’s unscented and has a cream formula but comes with a pump dispenser.

Two sunscreens I’ve been loving are the Charlotte Tilbury Invisible UV Flawless Primer with SPF 50 and the Kate Somerville Daily Deflector Mineral Sunscreen with SPF 40. Both apply nicely on the skin. I was really impressed with the Charlotte Tilbury one. I used it on my trip last month and it worked exceptionally well to protect my skin in Miami.

Moisturizer and SPF Kate Somerville, Chanel, La Mer, Charlotte Tilbury

Treatments and Masks

111Skin Y Theorem Bio Cellulose Face Mask

For sheet masks my two favorites are the 111Skin Y Theorem Bio Cellulose Face Mask and La Mer Treatment Lotion Hydrating Mask. I restocked the 111Skin this month. It’s a bio cellulose mask and helps hydrate and reduce fine lines. This has been one of my go-to’s for years (even loved the original formula) and one I keep splurging on.

NuFace revamped their Trinity+ and Mini+ devices. I received the Mini+ Starter Kit over the holiday and can’t wait to see the longer term results with it. I have several areas on my face that could benefit from the lifting effects of microcurrents. If you’ve tried any of the new devices let me know what you think!

NuFace Mini+ Starter Kit new version

Hand/Body

Jo Malone Vitamin E Nourishing Hand Treatment

I picked up Jo Malone Vitamin E Nourishing Hand Treatment which is an ultra rich creamy hand cream. I used it in the past and don’t remember why I never restocked. It’s super luxurious and I highly recommend checking it out. For body I really love the Necessaire Body Oil. It’s unscented, thick, absorbs nicely, hydrates – love that it doesn’t have any added fragrance so it won’t interfere with my perfume. I have a mini from a holiday bundle but just ordered the full size to keep on my nightstand.

New Year Skincare Refresh Haul

That wraps up my skincare refresh for the new year! What are you using right now? Any new skin care loves or rediscoveries?

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Many thanks to Nordstrom for partnering to sponsor this post. As always all opinions are my own.

Beauty Favorites

Best of 2022 Makeup, Skincare, Fragrance + More

January 2, 2023

Best Makeup Sephora Sale

Happy New Year! Rounding up the best of 2022 with my Top 5 picks in every beauty category! There are a couple of categories I went a bit over but here were my absolute favorites this year. Thank you for following along this year! Wishing you all an even better 2023!

Foundation/Concealer

Patrick Ta Major Skin Creme Foundation and Finishing Powder Duo Light Medium 2

I love a natural looking base that can hold up to the Florida heat and humidity. I had so many favorites I tried this year but here were my top five:

Blush

Gucci Beauty Luminous Matte Beauty Blush

Top blush products of the year:

Bronzer/Highlighters

Chanel Les Beiges Oversize Healthy Glow Sun-Kissed Powders

Favorite bronzers and highlighters of the year:

Eye Makeup

Tom Ford Beauty Soleil Neige 2022

I could probably have a list of at least 20 eye makeup favorites! Trying to keep my list super edited to the items I used the most this year:

Brow/Mascara

Lipstick

Sisley Phyto-Rouge Shine Refillable Lipstick Review

Best lipsticks this year:

Lip Gloss

Hermesistible Infused Lip Care Oil Review

Favorite lip glosses of the year:

Lip Liner

Makeup by Mario Ultra Suede Sculpting Pencils

Best formulas I wore the most this year:

Perfume

My favorites this year and one new discovery I hauled a week ago:

Hair Care

Oribe Home & Away Gold Lust Repair & Restore Shampoo & Conditioner Set

Skin Care: Cleansers

 

Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm with Charcoal

Best cleansers of the year:

Moisturizers

Augustinus Bader The Cream

Masks/Treatments

Sunday Riley Good Genes

Nails/Hand

Chanel La Base Camelia andL’Huile Camelia Hydrating and Fortifying Oil

Hand care essentials this year:

Cavapoo Puppy 12 Weeks Ollie

This year my #1 favorite though was Ollie. It’s been a full year now since we lost Lucy and my heart was so broken I thought it would never be whole again. The pain of losing a loved one was so intense I didn’t think I could ever get another dog but as soon as Andrew said, “I think we should get another one,” I instantly said yes. We found Ollie and picked him up in March. Our lives and hearts have been filled with joy. It makes me so happy that Kitty finally warmed up to the new pup in the house and even happier that they actually play together.

Thank you for following along on here and on social! Looking forward to a brand new year!

 

Beauty Favorites Holiday Gift Guide Nordstrom

Holiday Makeup Looks I’m Loving Right Now

December 16, 2022

Holiday Beauty Looks

Happy Friday! Christmas is just around the corner and we’ve nearly made it through the entire year! If you’re in search of some makeup looks for the holiday season I have three to share with you today with favorites from Nordstrom. These are all super easy to recreate in under 15 minutes!

Foundation, Concealer and Powder Favorites

First a quick look at my base staples. Long-time reader will already be able to guess what’s on my go-to list! While the weather is mild here in Florida things still feel dry and my skin is feeling it! I like mixing the Westman Atelier Vital Skin Foundation Stick and Vital Skin Care Complexion Foundation for a well hydrated base. I use Shade VI in both formulas.

For concealer I’ve been loving the Bobbi Brown Skin Full Coverage Concealer in Shade Natural which is a really nice super creamy concealer with buildable coverage. The Hourglass Vanish Concealer Brush has been one of my favorite concealer brushes this year.

To set I still love the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Powder in Medium (now refillable). I also still love the Air Brush which is retractable and super convenient for my bag or travel.

I’m at my lightest in skin tone right now with my winter skin color so I always add a bit of bronzer. I have so many favorites but the ones I use the most are the Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Oversize (in Medium) or the Les Beiges Healthy Glow Luminous Bronzer in Deep.

Holiday Makeup Looks via The Beauty Lookbook

Look 1: Peachy Nude Lip Look

Neutral Makeup Look

I’ll start with the look I feel the most comfortable in, neutrals! Bobbi Brown revamped the Luxe Lipstick and added new shades. These are super creamy and opaque with a natural sheen. The formula is a satin finish and I love the shade Almost Bare which is a beige peach. I topped it with a little bit of the Bobbi Brown Lip Gloss in Bare Sparkle.

Eyes are golden bronze tones with the Charlotte Tilbury Bella Sofia which I think will forever be my favorite eyeshadow quad! For liner I started using the Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner in Espresso Ink. Cheeks are a mix of the Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks in Chouchette and Bobbi Brown Highlighting Powder in Chestnut Glow which has a bit of a bronzy tone.

Natural Makeup Look Bobbi Brown and Charlotte Tilbury

Natural Makeup Look Bobbi Brown and Charlotte Tilbury swatches

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Look 2: Cold Girl Makeup Look

Cold Girl Makeup Look Trend

For this look I tried to recreate the cold girl makeup trend with the flushed pink cheeks and lips and frosted eyes. Getting that perfect flushed pink look depends on your skin tone so I pulled a few different shades of pink to try it out.

For the eyes I layered the Bobbi Brown Luxe Eyeshadow in Moonstone on top of the Charlotte Tilbury Bella Sofia. I love the formula of the luxe eyeshadows – they make the perfect one and done lid shimmer shade but also work as sparkly toppers! I added a bit of the Tom Ford Liquid Eyeliner for a bit more definition.

For pink cheeks I layered the Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks in Petal and Poppet, applying the lighter pink first and then adding a pop of the bright shade on top. To add a bit of glow the Bobbi Brown Highlighting Powder in Quartz Glow adds a soft candlelit glow.

For the lips my perfect flushed pink is Sisley Sheer Petal but the Laura Mercier Petal Soft Crayon in Ophelie is stunning too! Since I love a gloss topper I added the Sisley Le Phyto Gloss in Shade #3. If you want a more affordable option I think the Bobbi Brown Lip Gloss in Bellini or Laura Mercier Lip Glace in Macaron will give you a similar effect.

Cold Girl Makeup Look Westman Atelier, Sisley, Bobbi Brown

Cold Girl Makeup Look Westman Atelier, Sisley, Bobbi Brown

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Look 3: Berry Glam

Byredo Liquid Lipstick Vinyl in Baiser Cosmique

Last but not least I created a look for the bold lip lover! For a fresh red the Sisley Phyto Rouge Shine in Sheer Cherry gives the brightest classy red I’ve ever tried. For something a little more dramatic I tried the Byredo Liquid Lipstick Vinyl in Baiser Cosmique which gives me the MAC “O” or Sophisto vibes but better. Since the lips are bold I kept eyes light with the Bobbi Brown Luxe Eyeshadow in Melting Point and Sisley’s Phyto-Kohl Matte in Shade #2. I pulled out the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Butterfly Palette to match the lip tones.

Holiday Makeup Look Berry Red Lips

Holiday Makeup Look Berry Red Lips

Holiday Beauty Looks from Nordstrom Beauty

That wraps up my holiday look roundup! Would love to hear what you’ve been wearing this holiday season! You can find all of my picks available at Nordstrom. Don’t forget to check their Gift With Purchase page too!

If you are shopping online Nordstrom has a little note next to each item to show if it will arrive before Christmas. Many items will still arrive with expedited shipping.

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Many thanks to Nordstrom for partnering to sponsor this post.

Beauty Favorites Dior Holiday Gift Guide

Luxury Beauty Gift Ideas from Dior

December 15, 2022

Dior Beauty Holiday Gifting 2022

Sharing one last holiday gift guide with a look at the ultimate luxury beauty gifts from Dior Beauty! I shared a video reel on Instagram featuring four of their gifts and they are so good I wanted to share them here on the blog too.

If you’re looking for last minute gifts Dior is offering complimentary express shipping on all orders $125+. Order before December 20th to receive by the 25th. They have beautiful packaging, deluxe samples with every order and they’ve given me a code BEAUTYLOOKBOOK for extra deluxe samples on orders $150+.

Dior Beauty Holiday Gift Ideas 2022

Dior has so many exquisite gift options. If you’re looking to splurge for yourself or a loved one here is a look at four of their holiday sets this year. More on Dior.com for fragrance, makeup and skincare.

Dior Addict Pouch

Dior Beauty Holiday Addict Pouch

There are a few makeup gift sets this year. The Dior Addict Pouch ($80) has two full-sized lip products in a midnight blue pouch including the Addict Lipstick in 100 Nude Look (one of my favorites) and their Lip Oil in 012 Rosewood.

For the makeup lip lover they also have a cute Rouge Dior Pouch ($126) with three lip products or the Rouge Dior Minaudiere Set ($190) comes with a clutch.

Dior Natural Glow Essentials Set

Dior Essentials Holiday Set 2022

The Dior Natural Glow Essentials Set ($82) has a Lip Glow and Lip Maximizer in Pink along with a few minis. This one unfortunately already sold out but they still have a slightly different variation of the Dior Gift Set ($110) available that has the Pink Lip Glow and two Miss Dior scented products.

Scented Candle Discovery Set

Dior Beauty La Collection Privee Holiday Candle Set

For the candle lover the Dior La Collection Privee Scented Candle Discovery Set ($175) is stunning! It has three miniature candles with Ambre Nuit, 30 Montaigne and Jardin d’Orangers (all 85 g) in holiday packaging inspired by the constellations.

La Collection Privee Fragrance Discovery Set

Dior Beauty La Collection Privee Holiday Discovery Set 2022

Last but not least the La Collection Privee Fragrance Discovery Set ($250) with 20 minis (0.25 oz) including Gris Dior, Oud Ispahan, Ambre Nuit, Sakura, Jasmin des Anges, Lucky, La Colle Noire, Eden-Roc, Vanilla Diorama and Rouge Trafalgar. This is cased in their holiday packaging and has a tiered stand inside making it the perfect display case!

Dior Beauty La Collection Privee Holiday Discovery Set 2022

They have a couple other variations of the La Collection Privee minis including the Discovery Set ($235) in the standard white packaging or the Art of Living Discovery Set ($275) with 7 miniatures, 1 body cream, 1 hand body soap and a mini candle (also in their classic white packaging).

They offer samples on all orders and options for deluxe samples on orders over $100. Sample options vary and change frequently but you will alway be able to see what they’re offering at checkout.

Dior GWP samples

Lots to explore if you’re looking for last minute gifts! I love that everything comes wrapped and packaged beautifully. Every time I’ve ordered from Dior everything arrives in perfect condition beautifully boxed and carefully wrapped.

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Dior Beauty sets gifted by Dior.

Beauty Favorites Lips

Plum Lips to Try This Holiday Season

December 13, 2022

Plum Lips to try This Season

Happy Tuesday! I’ve been on a plum lip kick this holiday season and shared a video swatch roundup of some favorites on Instagram. For those who still prefer blog posts and still images this one is for you! I’ve been loving gloss and sheer plum lipsticks so the color is more forgiving when it fades throughout the day. Here are the ones I’ve tried and loved.

Plum Lip Color Swatches

Victoria Beckham Beauty Posh Gloss

Victoria Beckham Beauty Posh Gloss in Aperitivo is probably my favorite soft plum. It’s a smooth gloss that you can build easily. Feels comfortable on the lips, not sticky, lovely shine.

Victoria Beckham Beauty Posh Gloss in Aperitivo

Victoria Beckham Beauty Posh Gloss in Aperitivo

Bobbi Brown Lip Gloss

Bobbi Brown Lip Gloss in Kir Sugar is another one I love. It’s a semi-thick gloss so it adheres really well to the lips. Has some sticky feeling but still very comfortable to wear. Since it’s a thicker formula this one lasts long on my lips. Has a bit of gold shimmer inside. I remember wearing the original formula in this color in my 20s!

Bobbi Brown Lip Gloss in Kir Sugar

Bobbi Brown Lip Gloss in Kir Sugar

Fenty Gloss Bomb

Fenty Gloss Bomb in Hot Chocolit is a sheer plum brown with a tiny bit of gold shimmer. In the tube it looks more brownish but on my lips it pulls more plum. I think this is my second favorite out of all the plums. Love layering this on top of Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk for a slightly more pinkish look.

Fenty Gloss Bomb in Hot Chocolit

Fenty Gloss Bomb in Hot Chocolit

Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm

Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm in Brown Sugar is another love. It’s a very sheer tinted balm and I love this formula. Also great when layered over a lip pencil or alone. I didn’t get a new photo of this one but you can see it on the lips here.

Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm in Brown Sugar

Hourglass Phantom Glossy Balm

The Hourglass Phantom Glossy Balm formula is another one I’ve really loved this year. Lure is a pretty cool-toned plum. They also have a pretty limited-edition Rouse, a reddish plum, which is part of the Holiday Duo (sold out online but still available in stores).

Hourglass Phantom Glossy Balm

Hourglass Phantom Glossy Balm Lure and Rouse

Westman Atelier Squeaky Clean Lip Balm

The plum shade most of you loved from my video is Westman Atelier’s Squeaky Clean Lip Balm in Lou Lou. I hope she brings this one out individually in the new year! For now it is exclusive to her Squeaky Clean Lip Vault (also reviewed here).

Westman Atelier The Squeaky Clean Vault

Westman Atelier’s Squeaky Clean Lip Balm in Lou Lou

Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey

Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey has made a comeback and I love it. I wore this one in the 90s and early 2000s in my high school days so I’m thrilled to see it again! They launched the Black Honey color in the Pop Plush Creamy Gloss formula but it keeps selling out (still available at Kohls and Belk).

Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey

Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey

Rare Beauty Kind Words Matte Lipstick

For lipsticks I bought the Rare Beauty Kind Words Matte Lipstick in Gifted (also available in a matching Lip Liner). This is a pretty dusty plum color that doesn’t pull too cool or too warm. Color has rich opaque coverage, smooth finish and decent lasting power. Other shades in this formula reviewed here.

Rare Beauty Kind Words Matte Lipstick in Gifted

Rare Beauty Kind Words Matte Lipstick in Gifted

Dior Burgundy

Last but not least is a look at the Dior Lip Glow and Lip Maximizer in Burgundy. The Lip Maximizer seems to have sold out nearly everywhere but you can still find the Lip Glow on Dior.com. Love this for a soft plum berry stain on the lips.

Dior Lip Glow and Lip Maximizer in Burgundy

Dior Lip Glow Burgundy

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What shades are you wearing this holiday season? I’m still into the neutrals and soft pinks but think plum is a fun way to switch things up even for the neutral lip lover.

Beauty Favorites Fragrance

Fragrances I’m Loving Right Now

December 5, 2022

Tory Burch Essence of Dreams Cosmic Wood

I love trying new perfumes and today I have a holiday roundup of the fragrances I’ve been loving this holiday season. I’d love to hear about what you’re wearing right now so let me know in the comments what your go-to is!

 

Byredo Bal D’Afrique

Byredo Bal D'Afrique

Byredo Bal D’Afrique ($200 to $280) remains one of my all time unique favorites. It’s a warm creamy cozy scent I think is super unique. If you like scents that pull a little woody with an amber mix definitely check this one out. For those of you who don’t have a Byredo store or counter near you they have a few samplers you can order. Their Discovery Set ($50) has six of their best sellers and for the ultimate perfume lover La Grande Selection ($240) has 24 mini 2 ml vials. With the larger set they’ll send you a voucher for $200 to use towards any 50 ml or 100 ml scent on their website.

Top notes: bergamot, African marigold, bucchu
Middle notes: violet, cyclamen
Base notes: vetiver, Moroccan cedarwood

Phlur Somebody Wood & Missing Person

Phlur Missing Person Gift Set Duo Sephora

Phlur has won my heart this year with some beautiful soft scents. Missing Person ($96 or $98 for the duo) is one I wore non stop earlier this year. I have it in the travel size too and carry it in my purse. It’s one of the best soft floral musks. It has a natural skin like vibe with a mix of white musk. Also available in the Body Lotion and Shower Gel.

Top notes: Skin Musk, Bergamot Nectar, Sheer Jasmine
Heart notes: Fresh Cyclamen, Neroli Blossom, Orange Flower
Base notes: Sandalwood Australia Oil, Blonde Wood, White Musk

Phlur Somebody Wood

For fall to winter Somebody Wood* is my favorite. It’s unisex and I love the wood + musk combination. It’s not too heavy or woody and I love anything with a bergamot mix. I’ve used up the Shower Gel* and plan on ordering another one very soon.

Top notes: Bergamot, Lemon
Heart notes: Jasmine, Saffron, Cyclamen
Base notes: Sandalwood, Vanilla, Musk, Amber, Moss, Cedarwood

Both are available at Sephora and Phlur. If you can’t smell or test in person check out their Discovery Set at Sephora (seven scents) or all nine at Phlur.

Tory Burch Essence of Dreams

Tory Burch Essence of Dreams Cosmic Wood

Tory Burch launched their Essence of Dreams Fragrance line earlier this year and I love all five. Every scent in the lineup has a fresh and bright feel to them. They have an uplifting vibe. I bought the full sizes of Cosmic Wood and Electric Sky ($29 to $125). Right now I really love Cosmic Wood. If you like a soft floral woody spice with green notes definitely check that one out.

Top: cardamom, ambrette
Middle: jasmine, sage
Base: vetiver

They now carry the Discovery Set ($65) at Nordstrom which I think would make a really cute gift. Each scent is also available in a small travel spray version and Nordstrom has an Essence of Dreams Trio Set ($50) with Sublime Rose, Divine Moon and Electric Sky.

Tory Burch Essence of Dreams Discovery Set

Jo Malone Wood Sage and Sea Salt

Jo Malone Wood Sage and Sea Salt

Jo Malone Wood Sage and Sea Salt will forever be a signature scent for me. There are lots of fun discovery sets this holiday season and a lot of them are on sale. Nordstrom has the Cologne Collection Set ($115, marked down to $97.75) with English Pear & Fresia Cologne, Lime Basil & Mandarin, Wild Bluebell, Wood Sage & Sea Salt and Blackberry & Bay. They also carry the Cologne Intense Collection ($160) with Cypress & Grapevine Cologne Intense, Myrrh & Tonka, Velvet Rose & Oud, Dark Amber & Ginger Lily and Oud & Bergamot.

The Jo Malone website often has nice extra deluxe size samples with orders that change frequently. I ordered their Christmas Cologne Collection ($115) which has newer scents that I’m excited to try out.

Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540

Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540 Scented Candle

Maison Francis Kurkdjian is another perfume line I really love. Their Baccarat Rouge 540 is a classic rich creamy and unique scent. I bought the smaller 1.17 oz version which is nice to travel with or have in your purse. Notes include jasmine, saffron, cedar wood and ambergris. I’m really tempted to try the Shimmering Body Oil!

I tried their newest 724 Eau de Parfum earlier this year and really love it. It has a very similar feel to Aqua Universalis which I still have a lot left of so I didn’t buy it. It has a nice fresh clean feel.

Creed

Creed Holiday 2022 Green Irish Tweed

Creed has a special place in my heart because it’s Andrew’s favorite. It’s pretty much the only cologne line he wears these days and he always smells amazing. His favorites are Aventus, Green Irish Tweed* and Silver Mountain Water. This year they have beautiful leather cases* in a limited-edition royal blue and a refillable atomizer*. I bought Andrew the 5-piece Fragrance Set for Christmas so he can have them on-the-go. I’m tempted to buy the women’s version for myself.

I have a few favorites too. I love Virgin Island Water for spring to summer. Aventus for Her* is a newer discovery for me which I started wearing this year and I love it.

Creed Aventus for Her

Top notes: Egyptian green apple, pink berries, Indonesian patchouli, Italian bergamot.
Middle notes: Bulgarian rose, Turkish rose, Indian sandalwood, styrax, musk.
Base notes: sweet peach, cassis, lilac, amber, ylang-ylang.

Creed Sublime Vanille

The best vanilla scent is their Sublime Vanille* which is a soft powdery vanilla and tonka bean mix.

Top notes: Tonka Bean, Vanilla from Comoros (Africa)
Middle notes: Lemon, White Bergamot
Base notes: Musk, Tonkin

Best Holiday Perfumes Creed, Jo Malone, Phlur, Tory Burch

What are your favorite scents to wear this time of year?

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Press samples have a * next to them. All others purchased by me.